Driving the Values from a Text File

You can parse the data from a text file to extract an array of values to use as the target’s X-Data or Y-Data or as the simulation data set.

Related Topics
Configuring Data Sets

  1. From the X File Selection or Y File Selection screen, select one of the following:

    Option Description
    Use the same file defined for the X-axis Use the same file you used to define the X-axis (available only when configuring the Y Data Source Options).
    Select a file from the hard disk. To use a file, enter the path and file name or browse to the file location. The Data Matching component creates the file parameter based on your system preferences.
    Use a previously created file parameter. Choose one file parameter if there are pre-existing file parameters that you want to use.

  2. Click Next.

    The X File Type or Y File Type screen appears.

  3. Select the type of file that you are going to use.

    Typically, the data to be matched come from a file produced by another application. The Data Matching component supports these data files by parsing Table and Series types of text files.

    Option Description
    Table Contains data arranged in rows and columns to form a table. If you use the table format, you need to define the start/end rows and columns.

    Select the row or column of data that you want to match, or in the Table Swipe area enter the appropriate values in the Row and Column text boxes. The Table Swipe area functions similarly to the Table Swipe area in the Data Exchanger component. For more information, see Data Exchanger Component.
    Series A series parse assumes that the data are spread out in the file in identifiable and repeatable intervals. This is a common output when there are multiple values for a given time interval. This format requires that you define an identifiable, repeated marker and an offset.

    Identify the marker by either selecting it with your mouse or by entering the marker text into the Marker text box. Once the marker is defined, click Lock (adjacent to the Marker text box). Locking the marker prevents the value from changing when you make another selection using the mouse pointer.

    Important: The marker is case sensitive.

    Enter the line and word offset of the value in relation to the marker. This can be done by selecting the desired value that comes after the marker (click the value) or by entering the values into the Line and Word text boxes. Once you have defined the offsets, click Lock (adjacent to the Word text box). Locking the offsets prevents the value from changing when you make another selection using the mouse pointer.